Five miles into the journey, the Sony audio system belts out the Beastie Boys' "No Sleep Till Brooklyn," and the two sub-five-year-olds in tow agree. But we had an ace up our sleeve: our Flex SEL tester was packing a six-shooter augmented by Ford's EcoBoost turbo system, good for another 100 horsepower over the standard model. If the trip was going to be hellish, at least it would be short.
There's a price premium to pay for the heavy breathing, but even at $40,000 as-tested, the kitted out Flex stickered for less than expected, and mitigating drawbacks seems to be a running theme with the EcoBoosted Flex. Its EPA estimated fuel economy in all-wheel drive trim of 17/24 16/22 mpg city/highway, is exactly the same as the unboosted Duratec 3.5-liter, but there's newfound muscle to... flex. A turbocharged engine immediately makes thoughts of premium fuel dance through your head, but nope, the direct-injected V6 is happy to perform tricks on regular, though Ford recommends you run higher octane for maximum performance.
The Flex's T-square styling strikes some as boxy, others as handsome and broad-shouldered. Our sampler looked great in metallic black with a contrasting silver roof, though that color combination does little to quell the occasional comparison to a hearse. The optional 20-inch wheels, with a design echoing the high-speed turbines underhood, aren't coated in garishly shiny chrome, but for a performance model, the Flex EcoBoost would look far more sinister with a dropped ride height to tuck those massive hoops into its bold arches.
Only a small Ecoboost badge on the tailgate denotes this Flex as anything different from its lesser brethren, and other than the oddly tall stance, the overall demeanor is fitting, from the dark paint to the dual exhaust tips out back; this may be a wagon, but it's not a mamby-pamby Mike Brady thing.
Like the outside, the interior of the Flex is styled with a combination of contemporary and classic mid-century-modern forms. With a dash contour inspired by classic Electrolux vacuums of the Fifties, it would have been easy to go all retro inside, but thankfully, the Flex interior has been rendered in timeless forms. Who wants to remember those old three-row wagons from the old days, anyway? Those are the cars that made the minivan and SUV so popular by not being wagons in the first place.
Nothing inside the Flex is overly styled, but it's all styled well. The gauges are clean and simple, with four clean dials rimmed in chrome. The leather-covered seats with contrasting stitches are not just attractive, but living room comfortable, too. There's a mixture of textures and materials, from typical plastic graining that imitates leather to a pattern evocative of post-war household appliances. Faux wood, plated plastic, and a flat silver center stack complete the interior fitment. However, the silvered plastic does a bad imitation of aluminum – if that's what it's there for – and over the years, we suspect it will not wear gracefully. The rest of the materials inside are high quality, better than you'll find in the GMC Acadia, one of the Flex's main competitors.
Usability of the controls in the Flex is tops, with or without the formidable list of technology that Ford makes available. There's virtually no need to open the manual to operate the secondary controls. There are knobs for the audio system's volume and tuning, as well as the climate control's temperature setting. We did keep grabbing for a non-existent fan knob, and occasionally had to stare at the buttons for the audio system before discovering which of the multiple like-sized ones we needed. Cupholders sprout like dandelions in the spring aboard the Flex, and other niceities like rear-seat HVAC controls and a 110- volt outlet are packed in to make long journeys just a bit more comfortable.
This is an ideal car for gobbling up the miles while dragging a modest brood and their stuff, or carrying a bunch of people armed with credit cards for when you arrive. There's not a huge amount of cargo room when running sold-out seating, but passengers will enjoy good comfort and room, though your more compact acquaintances would be better served in the third row. Besides people hauling, the other trick the Flex excels at is hauling goods. There's a deep well behind the third row, and folding those seats down is an easy strap pull away. The second row seats operate in much the same manner, and when folded, there's a cavern at your disposal. Visibility from the driver's seat is very good, though the sheer size of the Flex may make parallel parking or reversing a little unsettling for the unpracticed. Dark tinted glass out back adds to the difficulty at night, though big mirrors and an available backup camera help. The car-based Flex, however, is immensely easier to position than most truck-based 'utes.
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